What strong arms she must have!

“The Twins” from The Token, Boston: Published by S.G. Goodrich, 1828.

Sentimental image from an early gift book depicts the popular theme of a mother and her children, highlighting the rare occurrence of twins. In the nineteenth century, twins were more uncommon than they are today. In 1825, the Compendious system of midwifery claimed that one in seventy-five, or about 1.3% of births in England resulted in twins. Today, that number is about 3.33%. In this engraving, a young mother carries her twin toddlers in her arms. One child sweetly caresses the mother’s cheek as she leans in for a kiss. The other child playfully drapes his/herself with the mother’s sheer veil, while smiling at the viewer. Sources: Compendious system of midwifery, London, 1825, p 543.; Nytimes.com article Jan. 23, 2012 “Twin births in the U.S., like never before.”